"So, is there something going on with you and Manuele?" asked Simona as soon as Daisy had her seat.

Daisy frowned as she saw a small group of schoolgirls surrounding her desk. She then shook her head, wondering why Simona asked that. Whispers filled the atmosphere, saying that of course, nothing was going on since Manuele was already engaged with another young woman.

Upon hearing those chatters, Daisy thought that even if he didn't have a fiancee, nothing would go on between her and Manuele after what he did last weekend.

"Hm," said Simona thoughtfully. "Then in that picture were you just playing around?"

Daisy blinked twice.

"Picture," she repeated. "What picture?"

"Oh," said a chubby young woman, surprised. "You don't know?"

Daisy gazed at the young woman in uniform, trying to process what was going on. The young woman exhaled before she grabbed her phone, and swiped on it for a moment before she showed her the screen.

Daisy gasped and snatched her classmate's phone from her fingers. She blinked repeatedly as she saw a photo of her and Manuele kissing, at least it looked like they were from the angle the picture was taken. What shocked her the most was the title of that gossip. Her eyes couldn't stop moving from the words that said: Love Triangle, is this the mystery woman Manuele Spada has called his true love?

"Wha-" she scrolled down only to see more pictures of her and Manuele together. "What nonsense is this?"

"A curiosity," said Simona. "Despite being engaged, Manuele sometimes mentions that there's someone he always liked. No one believed him though since he's always seen with a new woman a few times a month."

With her gaze still stuck on the screen, Daisy understood why no one would believe Manuele. His behavior made it difficult to believe that he could fall for someone.

"But he was never caught being intimate with those girls," said another classmate. "Well, at least on camera, so who knows, maybe you're that girl. Since you live in the same house, you must have known each other for a long time."

Daisy sighed as she returned the phone to her classmate.

"I wonder how Sara will react to this," said Simona. "She hasn't updated her socials yet."

"I'm sure she'll deny those rumors," said the chubby young woman. "I hope she'll leave it at that and won't target Daisy. I heard she can be pretty scandalous."

Daisy smiled. "I'm not scared of her. I mean, what she can do? Bully me on her socials?"

As a quick laugh filled the classroom, Daisy wondered what Manuele's fiancee had done before for everyone to be concerned.

Thinking about that, she realized something. That gossip magazine would be in handy to help Manuele be free from his forced engagement. All she needed was to go with the narrative and act as his true love until the engagement was finally off.

Her heart sped as a smile formed across her face.

This is it.

She checked the clock above the whiteboard on the wall. Though she was still angry at him for tricking her that day, she couldn't wait to see Manuele to have a deal with him.

"You're right," said Simona. "Your family must be good friends with the Spada Family and you could be Federico's fiancee, so she won't do anything."

"How many times do I have to tell you to drop that stupid rumor," said a deep voice behind the small crowd.

Silence fell as the small group of schoolgirls moved away to make way for a fit, dark-haired young man. Another young man with honey hair and a blonde young woman stood by his side.

"Oh," said Daisy. "You're earlier than usual, today, Federico."

His blue eyes fell on her as he approached her desk.

"And I guess I'll have to come even earlier to stop you from gossiping about that rumor," he said.

Daisy smiled. "I'm happy to help with your punctuality."

He blinked twice as a cheerful laugh filled the atmosphere only to be quiet again when Federico glared at Giacomo.

"Come on," said Giacomo. "That was funny."

"Shut up," he said, walking away.

Valentina followed him, asking him if he had brought her notebook. Daisy gazed at them, admiring Valentina's patience with him. Even if Daisy was chosen as a class rep and assigned to help him out with school-related stuff, she wasn't sure if she could handle it.

A notification tune brought her back to reality. Daisy grabbed her phone and saw that she had received a map.

"What's this?" she wondered.

"An invitation," said Giacomo, sitting on top of her desk. "Make sure not to share it with anyone else or I'll be in trouble."

Daisy frowned as she gazed at him.

"Then why did you share it with me if it can put you in trouble?" she wondered, returning her focus to her phone.

"Because you're friendly and don't seem like a person who likes to gossip," said Giacomo. "Besides, Horizons needs a new fan to spread its existence around Italy."

Daisy raised a brow. "Horizons?"

"It's our band's name," he said with a smile. "I hope you like our music."

Daisy's eyes widened as she wondered what inspired them to give their band that name.

"I'll try to be there," she said. "But why are you guys making secret shows? Isn't it simpler to have a public show to grab more interest in your band?"

"We thought of that before," said Giacomo, sighing, "but our style doesn't fit the academy's image. Since uploading our music online isn't enough to reach a wider audience, live shows are another alternative for us and for that to happen, we need a stage. 

"Unfortunately, we're high school kids and the only stage we can afford is the one on the map, that's why the show is a secret for now."

Hearing those words, Daisy checked her phone. Her brows arched when she realized that the location for the band's live show was at the academy.

"Once we gather enough funds," continued Giacomo, "we'll be able to sing our songs in better stages."

Daisy's chin dropped as another realization brightened in her head. The bell for the first lesson rang.

"Ugh." Giacomo stood up. "Here we go with the first lesson. I hope I won't fall asleep again."

A quick laugh escaped Daisy's lips as she watched him walk away toward his seat. She wished she could thank him since he gave her a hint of what she could do to help Federico. She glanced over her shoulder and spotted Federico a few seats away behind her, removing his wireless earphones.

As his gaze met hers, Daisy smiled and waved at him. He frowned before he focused his gaze on the window.

Daisy returned her gaze to her front, in time to see her history teacher dropping his laptop and books on his desk. Daisy exhaled and lost herself in her thoughts.

Despite not having done anything so far in these last two weeks, things were starting to open up and the grain of optimism she had was slowly growing. She wasn't sure if what she had planned in her head would work or how long it would take to make those wishes come true, but at least she would do something this time.

Gazing behind the window, something popped into her mind.

A desperate wish, made from the heart, is always answered. Sooner or later.

Remembering her mother, she smiled. Even if she didn't see the results right away, one day, for sure, the Spada family would find their happy ending with the little helping hand she had given.